Seth riggs executor of said



(No Mode1.)' f B. RIGGS. ANIMALGUN.

Patented May 16, 1893,.

consists in the peculiar construction of the 'lUNrrnn STATES PATENT Ormes.

BREESE RIGGS, OF CROWLEY, OREGON; SETH RIGGS EXEOUTOR OF SAID -BREESE RIGGS,VDECEASED.

ANIMAL-GUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 497,607, dated May 16, 1893. Application filed June 16. 1892. Serial No. 437.004. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

' Be it known that I, BREESE RIGGS, of Growley, in they county of Polk and State of Oregon, have invented an Improved Breech-Loading Animal-Gumof which the following is a specication. y

This invention is an improved gun adapted for employmentI in the extermination of gophers, moles and similar animals.

The object of the inventiou'is to provide a breech loading gun of this character that can bearranged where most convenient and n'ecf essary and one that will be operated by the movement of the animal as it approaches the muzzle of the same. v With these objects in-view my invention several parts and the novel manner of 'comlbining or arranging the same all of which will he fully described hereinafter andv pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming apart of this specification Figure l is a side View of my improved gun. Fig. 2 is a view showing a `portion of the barrel and the cartridge inserted in the breech of the same and Fig. 3

is a central longitudinal section of the gun.

In the practical embodiment of my inven- V tion'I employ a barrel "F, ofl suitable length and diameter, open at the breech and threaded externally at that end for engagement with a connecting sleeve or band G, said sleeve being threaded internally at each end and between such threaded ends the sleeve is formed with a shallow-internal -recess g the purpose of which will appear farther on. The breech tube O is screwed into the rear end of the sleeve G and between the breech end of barrel and the forward end of breech tube is arranged adisk gwhich is seated within the recess g above referred to as clearly shown and is formed with a central aperture g2 through which the needle point b of the firing pin B is adapted to pass in order to impinge against the cartridge F', located within the breech of the barrel F. The ring pin B is located within the breech tube C and near its forward end is attached a collar or nut b2 against which the forward end of the spring A bears. Said spring is coiled spirally around the pin and confined within the tube by means vpath of the animal.

of the ca C', said ca being perforatedto permit the movement of the pin B. AThe rear When the pin is cap C and the moment the pin is released the spring expands, forcing the pin forward,

the needle point through the central aperture of disk and exploding the cartridge. In order to retain the pin B when drawn back and also to-permit the gun to be discharged by the animal approaching the muzzle of the same I provide a trigger D and a tripping rod E which is connected with the trigger and extends forward beyondl the muzzle in the The trigger D- consists of along plate perforated near oneend to permit the pin'B to move through ,thegsama said pin having a notchH upon its upper side which vis engaged by the trigger D thus holding the pin in its set position. The trigger Dis also bentat this-end said/bent portion bearing against the cap plate as shown. The opposite end of the trigger is connected withy the'tripping rod E which passes through an eye fon the end of barrel and projects in the path of the animal.

In operation-the barrel is detached from the sleeve Gr, a cartridgeinserted in the breech of same, and then replaced. The gun is then stapled or otherwise secured in the desired position preferably at the entrance of the hole of the gopher and thetiring pin drawn out and locked vin such set position by means of the trigger. The animal in moving ktoward the muzzle -of gun comes into contact with the tripping rod E which being moved lifts the trigger out of engagement with vthe notch Hand the spring A being free to act forces "the pin forward, the point through the disk and discharges the cartridge. The collar or nut serves also as a guide and insures the proper, registering of the point with the aperture. y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is v v 1. In an animal gun, thecombination with a sleeve having an inclined recess, of -a barrel secured inthe forward end of the sleeve,

a breech tube secured in the rear end, a centrally apertured, detachable disk arranged within the recess ot' the sleeve and a firing pin arranged in the breech tube substantially as shown and described.

2. In an animal gun the combination with a detachable barrel adapted to receive a cartridge in its breech, of a breech tube carrying a firing pin, a sleeve connecting the barrel and tube and a centrally apertured detachable disk arranged Within the sleeve between the barrel and tube, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the sleeve barrel and tube of the apertured detachable disk the firing pin having a collar at its forward end and a notch about midway its length the shown and described.

BREESE RIGGS. Vitnesses:

JOSEPH A. MGKELVEY, WEBSTER HALMER. 

